The Platte County Commission on Thursday approved three change-orders to reduce the cost of three projects.

The commission approved a change order for the recently- completed East Ridgely Road surfacing project. The project put an asphalt surface on what was previously a gravel road from Ridgley east to the county line.

According to Bob Heim, capital improvements manager, the change order is because the project used 70 tons less asphalt than originally expected. The change reduced the total cost of the project by $3,632.91.

“It was just less linear distance than we had expected,” said Heim.

The total cost of the project is now $311,209.09 for the approximately two mile stretch of roadway.

“I'm glad you did such a good job to come in under budget,” said Tom Pryor, commissioner.

The commission also approved a change order to decrease the cost of the new windows for the county courthouse. The change decreases the cost of the project by $1,650.

John Kempt, director of facilities management, said the decrease is because the original bid had included several window screens, which were not required. There currently are no screens on the windows and adding them would have changed the look of the courthouse.

The total cost for the project is currently $119,200. The project will replace more than 80 windows on the courthouse. The windows are expected to begin being installed at the start of 2009.

Another change order was for the bonds on the community center renovation projects. The change order reduced the cost to issue bonds and insurance for bonds for the project by $1,450.

On Thursday, Oct. 23, Pryor and fellow commissioner Jim Plunkett questioned what the change order was for, but did not receive answers for their questions, so the change order was tabled.

According to Brian Nowotny, parks and recreation director, the parks staff then looked over the changes and realized the county was being billed twice for the bonds.

The original change order was to increase the cost by $5,267.The project started at a cost of $71,484 and has now increased to nearly $115,000.

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